Check hinge



P. O. KROGH Feb. u, L

CHECK HINGE Filed Aug. 29, 1940 Patented Feb. 11, 1941 PATENT oFFicE CHECK HINGE Peter OQKrogh, Lima, Ohio, assigner to ASuperior Coach Corporation, Lima, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 29, 1940, Serial No. 354,733

4 Claims. (Cl. 16v-4.91)

This invention relates to door hinges of the check type, and particularly to a hinge of this character for use in connection with rear doors of ambulances, funeral cars, or the like, yin which the doors, when both in closed and full open positions, are disposed 'at an incline to a vertical and to the swinging anis thereof, whereby when ya door is opened beyond a 90 open position the natural tendency thereof due to gravity would be to swing backl against the body or rear fender if the door is not held in check. Y

The object of the present invention is the provision in a hinge of this character of simple and efficient check means which is not exposed either l5 interiorly or eXteriorly of the door when the door is closed and which permits the door to have a substantially 180 opening movement before being checked.

A further object vof the invention is the provision in such a hinge of an improved check means which cushions the full opening movement of the door to prevent shock, jar or noise should the door fall or move swiftly to stop position.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed descriptionthereof, and one embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a top edge View of a hinge embodying the invention with the hinge members partly open and with parts in section; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the hinge in operative closed p0- sition with respect to the body wall of a vehicle and with the door removed therefrom and with 3D a part of the check means in section; Fig. 3 is a top edge View of a hinge embodying the invention in attached relation to a vehicle body wall and door in closed relation and in fragmentary section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a similar view with the door in full open stop position and with parts of the hinge and check means in section.

Referring to the drawing, I designates a portion of the rear end wall of a closed vehicle body and 2 an attached frame forming a casing around a rear door opening therein, while 3 designates a door for fitting into and closing said opening. In many of the present designs of 50 ambulances and funeral cars, the rear door 3 stands at a forward incline to a vertical, with the swinging axis for the door in'a vertical plane, as indicated in Fig. 2. In view of this, the door 55 ency to swing by gravity back to full open position and against the body or rear fender if not otherwise held in check.

One of the hinges for the door 3, preferably the lower, in which the stop means embodying the invention resides, is designated 5 and its wing 5 members 6 and I are secured respectively to the casing or frame 2 forming the door opening and to the edge frame of the door in the customary or any suitable manner, as illustrated.

The hinge members 6 and 1 are pivotally con- '10 nected by the usual pintle 8, and, in the present instance, the bodies of the'members, when in closed. position, are in slightly spaced parallel relation, as shown in Fig, 3.

The check means comprising the invention in- 15 cludes `a pivotal arm Ill disposed between the hinge members 5 and I substantially midway between their upper and lower edges and pivoted at one end to the pintle 8 within the notch or opening II in one of the hinge member knuckles as best shown in Fig. 2. The free end of the arm I terminates near the outer or free ends of the hinge members and has a check rod I2 pivotally attached to each side thereof at I3, and projecting outwardly therefrom through a respective 25 opening I5 in the adjacent hinge member and into the interior of the body wall I or door 3 to which the member is respectively attached. Each rod I2 is provided at its free end interiorly of the door or body wan with a bumper It of rubber, 30 or other suitable yielding material, which is retained on the rod by a nut Il and adapted to have stop engagement with the outer side of the hinge member through which its rod I2 projects during an opening of the hinge. The rod I2 is bent or curved so that the cushion member has flat coaction with the outer side of the adjacent hinge member when in stop coaction therewith, as shown in Fig. 4. The inner sides of the hinge members 6 and I are shown as provided with grooves I8 to receive the side edges of the arm I0 when the hinge is closed.

It is apparent that during an opening of the door, the pivoted arm I0 of the check means 45 will remain substantially stationary until the door has been opened a suflicient extent for the hinge member 'I to move outward on the respective check rod I2 and engage the associated bumper I6. During the continuing opening movement of the door, the arm Iii is caused to swing away from the hinge member 6 until checked by coaction with such member of the cushion bumper I6 on the other check rod I2. This form of check means, in the present instance, permits the door to have an opening movement up to 180, which is sucient to position the door out of obstructing relation to the opening and at the same time to prevent it from opening against the vehicle body or rear fender. It also provides a yielding or cushioned check for the door should it fall back by gravity to full open position after it has been manually moved to substantially a 90 open position.

Should the hinge members be attached to the door and body Wall frames, as shown, with such memb-ers inserted into openings in the respective frame parts and attached to the inner sides thereof, it is apparent that these frame parts should be slotted or cut away in the path of movement of the arm l0, as indicated at 20 in Fig. 4. i

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable of numerous modications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. In combination in a check hinge, two pivotally connected hinge members, an arm pivotally connected at its inner end to the pivoted ends of said members and projecting outwardly between said members lengthwise thereof and pivotally movable relative thereto in the plane of hinge movements of the members, and a check rod connected to and projecting laterally from each of opposite sides of the outer end portion of said arm freely through and beyond the adjacent hinge member in the swinging plane thereof and having provision at its outer end for engagement with the outer side of the respective member to stop an opening action of the hinge members when opened a predetermined extent.

2. In combination in a check hinge, a, pair of hinge members, a pintle pivotally connecting said members, a check arm disposed between the members and pivoted at its inner end to said pintle for swinging movements relative to and in the plane of movements of the hinge members, a check rod connected to and projecting laterally outward from each of opposite sides of the outer end portion of said arm, each of said rods freely projecting through a respective hinge member for reciprocatory movements therein and having provision at its outer end for stop coaction with the outer side of the respective hinge member to stop the opening movements of the hinge members when opened a predetermined extent, beyond approximately 90.

3. In combination in a check hinge, a'pair of hinge members pivoted together at their inner ends and each having an opening laterally therethrough in spaced relation to the pivot, an arm pivoted between said members in substantially coaxial relation to the hinge pivot and for swinging movements in the plane of swinging movements of the members, a check rod projecting fromeach of opposite sides of said arm adjacent to its outer end and through the opening of the adjacent hinge member, and a cushioned stop on each of said rods for coaction with the outer side of the respective hinge member to limit the opening of the hinge.

4. In combination in a check hinge, a pair of pivotally connected hinge members each having an opening laterally therethrough in spaced relation to its pivot, an arm pivoted between said members in substantially coaxial relation to the hinge pivot and for swinging movements in the plane of swinging movements of the members, a check rod pivotally projecting from each of opposite sides of said arm in outwardly spaced relation to its pivot and through the opening of the adjacent hinge member for reciprocatory movements therein, and stop means on the outer end of 4each rod for engagement with the outer side of the respective hinge member to limit the opening movements of said member.

PETER O. KROGH. 

